Her Hand
by captainkodak1
Summary: This is an AU.  Kim is a princess.  Ron is her freind.


**Her Hand  
By Captainkodak1**

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Kim sat at the mirror in her room brushing her hair. Ron had promised to take her riding today. A smile crossed her face as she thought of her best friend. She knew her father would not be pleased if he knew how much the lanky, blonde haired young man meant to her. The door to her room opened after a knock. Tara, her hand servant opened the door and stepped into the room.

"My Princess, Ronald is here and wishes to see you."

Kim turned to face the door. "Show him in Tara."

Kim stood gathering her gown in her hands so that she could run to the door to meet her best friend. Her father the King did not quite approve of Ron. His family was not important enough. They also did not have enough money or land. He only tolerated Ron as he was her best friend for most of her life and would give his life in an instant to keep her from harm.

She was not the picture perfect princess of other kingdoms. She hated sitting in her chair as her father held court in the throne room. The crown she was required to wear made her head hurt. The silk dress she had to wear was hot in the summer and not warm enough in the winter. She was not good at all the things Princesses were supposed to do. She would rather be riding in the country with Ron wearing a shirt and pants instead of a formal dress. The people of the land loved her for she would ride amongst them helping them, arranging for a doctor or ordering food for a needy family.

Ron entered her room and opened his arms. Kim dove into them wrapping her own arms around him. She nuzzled her head into the spot on his shoulder. Tara kept a secret that only she knew. The two young people had gone beyond being friends and had fallen deeply in love. They were a match. She was the outgoing, brave, headstrong daughter of the King. He was the son of a minor nobleman who helped the king with his finances. He was rather common looking, clumsy, scared of a lot of things yet she loved him with all her heart.

Ron sighed as Kim enveloped herself in his arms. He tilted his head over against the softness of her hair. He relished in the softness of her embrace, he felt the beating of her heart, the soft rhythm of her breathing. Kim turned her head up, raising her hands behind his neck pulling his face down toward her. Their lips moved together, as they pressed against each other. The kiss went on until they had to breathe. Kim laid her head back on Ron's chest, content to stay there.

Ron pulled back and placed his hand beneath her chin lifting it so he could gaze into her eyes.

"Kim, I want to ask your father for the honor of having you as my wife."

Kim's eyes grew wide yet filled with tears.

"Ron, you know how he would react to that. He does not believe you are worthy of my hand."

Kim broke the hug and stepped away from him. She turned away, trying to hide the tears coming from her eyes.

"Father is arranging to marry me to the King of Upperland. It will be profitable for father to gain the trade routes through his lands. The King of Upperland was here a month ago. He is a pig, a fat, filthy man. He came to offer the trade routes so I could be his wife. I'd rather die than to be the wife of that man."

Ron stepped behind Kim and placed his hands on her shoulders.

"Kim, I am planning to ask your father and challenge him. I will challenge him to give me a quest or several quests in order to win your hand. I will ask you this, however long it takes for me to complete the quests that you will wait."

Kim spun around her face full of fear.

"Ron you have no idea what he might ask you to do. He could get you killed."

Ron stepped up and glanced down into her eyes.

"Kim, if I die trying to win your hand, then I will die a happy man."

Kim lowered her head.

"But what about me Ron? What is you go off and get killed, what happens to me? Father will surely marry me off to someone or that pig."

Ron pulled her close. "But if I don't try then we don't have any chance."

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The Throne room abounded with nobles and their ladies. Envoys from other lands waited for their time to approach the King. One after another they came some with requests, other's with offers. Each was dealt with by the King, some with care, other with harsh words and actions. Ron swallowed and stepped up for his chance to approach the throne area. Monique, the daughter of the palace seamstress, had helped Ron dress properly. She had also given him advice as to what to ask for and what to say.

The Courtier for the Throne Room tapped his staff and announced Ron.

"Ronald Stoppable, son the most high royal treasurer."

Ron stepped forward and slowly approached the Royal Dias. Kim sat at her father's left just to the side and slightly behind her mother. He could see her eyes full of fear, yet her beauty and his love for her gave him strength. He concentrated on the face of the king, his tall dark hair with a streak of grey going from the front to the rear of his head. The simple crown encircled his head. The looks on his face made Ron almost hesitate, but a glance toward Kim gave him strength to continue. Ron bowed deeply in front of King James, removing his hat and doffing it low before the king.

"Ronald, just what do you think you are doing?"

Ron's voice caught for a moment, then gathering his courage he stood and faced the King.

"Your majesty, I have come before you to ask for the hand of the Princess Kimberly in marriage."

King James snorted. "Like I would allow my…." The Queen placed her hand on her husbands arm. She pulled her hand back as she caught the glare from him.

The King continued. "Like I would allow my daughter to marry one such as you. Do you really believe that you are worthy of her hand?"

Kim ran from her chair and threw herself at her father's knees.

"Father, please, if you care for me at all, if there is any love for me as your daughter in your heart, please, listen to him."

"SILENCE!" The King yelled.

Kim bowed her head low almost placing her forehead on his feet.

King James looked at Ron for several moments before speaking.

"Okay, Ronald, just what makes you think you are worthy of her."

Ron bowed again. "Your majesty, I love your daughter with all my heart. I would rather die than allow her to be harmed. If you do not think that I am worthy of her, then give me a quest, any quest, if one is not enough then give me more."

King James sat back with Kim sobbing at his feet. His hand came up under his chin as he thought.

"Quest or quests you say. Do you really believe you can complete what I am going to ask you to do?"

Ron swallowed, but seeing Kim crying at her father's feet ignited the flame of his love for her. He stood straight and stared directly into the King's eyes.

"Yes, I will complete the quests, or die trying."

Kim's gasped at the words. "die trying". She lifted her head and turned it to see Ron. He stood as tall as she had ever seen him stand. There was no fear in his eyes. Her eyes caught his and all she could see is the love he had for her.

King James glanced down at his daughter looking out over the throne room at her friend. His spies had already told him that the princess had fallen for the young man.

"Kimmie-cub?"

Kim lifted her eyes to look up at her father.

"Will you accept to give your hand in marriage to him if he completes his quests?"

She reached out to grab her father's hand and placed them against her cheek. Her tears soaked into the cuffs of his shirt.

"Yes, father, I would accept with all my heart."

King James smiled at his daughter as he clasped his hands over hers.

"Then so be it. So let it be written, so let it be done. "

He stood and gathered his royal robes around him took his specter in his hand and pointed it at Ron.

"Ronald Stoppable, you desire to have the hand of Princess Kimberly in marriage. Prove yourself worthy. Complete the following quests and return alive, and I will fulfill your desire. Ronald Stoppable kneel as I give you your quests."

Ron knelt on one knee, bowing his head.

"Ronald Stoppable, you are to leave here and enter the dark forest. There you are to find the home of the Green Witch and the Blue Warlock. Inside that home is a royal chalice stolen many years ago. You are to steal the chalice back. Then you are to travel to the northern part of the kingdom to the rolling green hills. There you will find the castle of the Mad Scotsman. Enter the castle and retrieve a book of magic. Return with the two items, and I will grant your wish."

King James turned to his daughter. She went to her knees and bowed her head.

"Princess Kimberly, you may escort Ronald to the front gate, you may order the man-at-arms to give Ronald any weapon that he may desire and what ever armor that he can wear. I will order the royal stables opened and he may choose his horse. If he returns then there will be a wedding that no one will forget."

Kim rose and approached her father. "Thank you daddy" she whispered and gently kissed his cheek.

She stepped down off the royal dais and took Ron's arm as he gave it to her. The other member's of the Royal Court bowed to the couple as they left the room.

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Ron cinched the tight the saddle of his horse he picked. This was the horse he always rode when he escorted Kim on her rides. He had selected no armor because he was not used to it. Kim had gone to retrieve his weapon. The hay rustled behind him and he turned around. Kim stood there in her gown, holding a slingshot in her hand.

Kim handed the slingshot to him and he stuffed it into his back pocket.

"Thanks for giving this back to me, I was lucky that your dad never found out who shot him in the…."

Kim giggled a little,

"Well, he did have trouble sitting for a couple of days. I took that thing away before you got into any more trouble with it."

"Thanks KP." He whispered.

Kim took his hands.

"You will be careful, won't you?"

Ron touched her chin with his hand and lifted it to gaze into her eyes.

"You just be getting ready for you bon-diggy future husband to come back." He bent down to give her a kiss.

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"O…K… horse now let's get to that house, get the cup and get out of here."

Ron glanced around at the dark shadows that lined the path he was on. It was almost like he was in a cave at times. The damp air caused his clothes to stick to him. His horse snorted and stopped.

Ron leaned forward to see what the matter was when he saw it. A stone building nestled in a dark cove of trees. A spiral of smoke was coming out of the chimney. He stepped down off his horse and tied it to a nearby tree. Scuttling along the shadows at the edge of the cove of trees he approached the house. Creeping up to a window, he glanced inside an open window.

"MMMMmmmmm, good coco-moo."

Drakken the Warlock sat the golden chalice down and wiped his mouth. His partner, Shego stood leaning against the stone wall.

"Just when are we really going to do something. I mean you stole that cup, now what? Why don't we do something like kidnap the little princess or something?"

"Shego, I am working on my greatest plan yet. I have made a potion that will turn the little princess into half horse and half little girl. The king will pay a fortune for his little girl to be changed back."

Shego sneered "Half horse and half little girl, now I would like a piece of that action."

Drakken waved. "Let me show you, and then we can make plans to deliver our little surprise. All we have to do is splash some of the potion on her and voila! Daddy's little girl will have four legs instead of two!"

Ron watched as the two walked out of the room. The chalice stood on the table where Drakken had left it. He crept quietly through the window and into the room. The floor creaked slightly as he settled his foot on the floor. Ron hesitated for a moment to see it they had heard him. The room was quiet as he moved across the floor to pick up the cup. He placed it in the pouch slung over his shoulder and turned to leave.

"Well, well, well. It looks like we have a visitor. It's the buffoon of the little princess. It seems he is trying to impress daddy by stealing the chalice back."

Ron spun around to the two standing behind him. Drakken was holding a large wooden bowl that glowed from the inside. The hands of the witch Shego started to glow. Ron's hand dug into his pouch and pulled out a stone and put it in his slingshot. He spun it over is head faster and faster.

"Stay back or I'll let you have it!"

Shego laughed. "The buffoon is going to hurt us with is little rock."

Ron's hand slipped and the rock flew across the room ricocheted off a pillar, bounced off a hanging pan and hit the wooden bowl Drakken was holding. The liquid content spilled all over Shego. This was a small poof of smoke and there stood Shego, the top half normal but the bottom half a horse. Ron took the opportunity to dive out the window and ran for his horse. He untied his horse and jumped into the saddle.

Shego turned to Drakken.

"You IDIOT! Look at me, where is the antidote?" She snarled.

Drakken's face developed a nervous tic. "Antidote, what antidote?"

Shego's eyes grew wide. "THE antidote to change me back!"

Drakken started backing up. "I…I haven't developed it yet. I wasn't planning too. I didn't see the need. I wasn't planning to change the princess back even after the King paid us. After all, isn't that something evil people do?"

Ron turned just for a moment to see a flash of green light come from the window he had just vacated. A loud scream followed.

"NO ANTIDOTE. IS THAT WHAT YOU ARE TELLING ME?"

Ron turned his horse up the path and urged it to a gallop. The need to be somewhere else in a hurry came to his mind.

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Ron was tired. It had taken two days to get to the lair of the witch and the warlock. Now he was traveling toward the Castle of the Mad Scotsman. The rolling green hills of the northern part of the kingdom lay before him. The two day trip there had worn him down. Some of the people of the land helped him along when they found out what he was doing. The Princess was loved even if her father wasn't. They were willing to do anything to help the Princess Kimberly.

Ron slowed his horse as the spires of the castle appeared on the skyline. The magic book was in that place somewhere. It could be anywhere, in many dark places, with bugs and spiders. Ron shivered. Well, might as well get this over with. He stopped his horse and walked over the bridge over the moat. The main gate was open and Ron stepped through. So far, so good.

He snuck over and opened a door the lead into the main part of the castle. He slipped through several halls checking each of the rooms silently. Ron started down another hall and found an open living area with a number of chairs and a table. On a bookstand flanked by two candles sat a book. Ron figured this had to be the book he was looking for. It fit the description given him by the king.

Ron stepped across the room to pick up the book. He placed it in his pouch when a strange odor came to his nose. A door set in a nearby wall slammed open and there stood a short man in a floppy hat and a skirt. It was the Mad Scotsman himself. He stirred something in a pot that was the cause of the smell. Ron felt himself start to turn green.

"Ach, a visitor, anyone who comes visiting the Castle Killigan has to stay for a special helping of my famous haggis."

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Ron stumbled across the bridge over the moat. He stopped for a moment, his cheeks poaching out. Turning, he ran into the bushes.

His horse skittered a bit as he crawled out a few minutes later.

"How many helpings of haggis must one eat to steal a book? Ugh, at least it was not meat cakes, whatever meat cakes are."

Ron climbed onto his horse for his long journey back to the King's castle.

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Kim paced back and forth on the battlements that faced north. Word reached the castle that Ron had made it into the woods and stolen the challis. Whatever he did to steal it was a mystery but rumors were that something had happened to the witch. There were tales from hunters in the area of a half-horse half woman. This creature was seen chasing the Warlock Drakken and screaming at him.

Ron had been gone over a week, and she was worried about him. What she would do if he did not come back she really did not know. She looked out over the land to the north. If he had survived, then he would be approaching from that direction. Her eyes caught sight of a wisp of smoke; it grew and grew in intensity. It was a signal fire. Important news would be arriving soon by horseback. Then she saw him. Ron! He was just coming out of the tree line heading for the castle. She turned and ran down the stairs toward the front gate. Many of the peasants gathered around him, cheering. Their hero was victorious and he was returning to claim his bride.

The King watched from his vantage point on one part of the battlements. He turned and made his way toward the throne room. He caught Kim's arm as she passed.

"Kimmie-cub, make your way to the throne room. There we shall receive Ronald. If he has the items required, he may give you the ring. Then we will have a wedding to remember."

Kim smiled and ran for her room. She wanted to change into her best white royal gown. One the Ron seldom had seen her in but one she knew he really liked.

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King James sat on his throne with Kim standing by his side. The throne room was packed. Everyone wanted to see if Ron had been successful. The doors to the room creaked open and a dirty, haggard Ron stepped into the room. He walked slowly toward the King, his eyes on Kim.

Ron stopped before King James and bowed.

"Your majesty, I have returned from the quests that you sent me on."

King James nodded. "Do you have the items?"

Ron pulled his bag from his shoulder. "Yes your majesty."

Ron knelt on the floor and opened his bag. He placed the chalice on the floor along with the magic book. A servant picked them up and took them to the king. King James surveyed the items then looked over at his daughter. She was beaming.

King James stood and beckoned Ron to approach the throne. Ron stood up and took the few steps up to the King.

"Kneel Ron Stoppable."

Ron knelt as requested as the King reached to the side of his throne and drew his sword. Ron heard the metal to metal hiss of the blade coming out of the scabbard. Kim gasped for a moment her eyes full of fear. Her father winked at her.

"Ron Stoppable, you came before me to ask for the hand of my daughter in marriage. You challenged me to give you a quest. I gave you your quest and you have returned in victory. You have shown bravery beyond I ever imagined from you. You have proven yourself worthy."

The King stepped down in front of Ron and raised his sword then lowering it, he tapped Ron on each shoulder.

"I dub thee Sir Ronald of the Quest. Rise Sir Ronald for I believe you have a question to ask my daughter."

Ron stood and turned to see Kim literally beaming at him. The pride and love that flowed from her eyes warmed him as he took a couple of steps toward her. He took Kim's hand and knelt in front of her."

"Princess Kimberly Anne Possible of the land of Middleton, Will you be my bride?"

Kim took his hand and pulled him to his feet.

"Sir Ronald, I accept."

The room erupted in cheers.

The King signaled for silence and the room became quiet. "Do you not have a ring Sir Ronald?"

Ron's hand rubbed the back of his head. "Sorry KP, with all the quests, I sort of forgot that part."

Ron put his hand back into his bag and pulled out another smaller bag. He opened it and pulled a ring out. He took Kim's hand and placed it on her finger. The room exploded into cheers as Kim pulled Ron to his feet and gave him a kiss.

"Kimberly, you need to leave prepare yourself, my man-at-arms will escort you to the room where you will be prepared for the next journey in your life."

Kim turned and left the room following her father's man. She turned and blew a kiss back at Ron.

King James turned to Ron. "Sir Ronald, the Queen's guard will escort you to a room where you may prepare for the wedding."

Ron turned left the room with the Queen and her guard. The King clapped his hands.

"It is time to celebrate! Prepare the room for a wedding!"

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Ron waited for the music to start and for his signal to enter. The Queen had arranged for some fine clothes for him. They itched a little but he did not mind. His dream was coming true. Soon Kim would be his wife. The doors to the throne room opened to a trumpet fanfare. He entered the room to see a long aisle lay before him, the members of the court lining each side waiting for him. Stepping forward he entered into the room and strode toward the front of the room where the King stood waiting for him.

He arrived at the front of the room and took his place. Other members of the court entered. Several of Kim's ladies in waiting entered as well as a number of the King's officers. The Queen entered and took a seat on her throne. The room was decorating in white cloth and flags. The music swelled again and the doors to the room opened again. The King's man-at-arms entered the room carrying a sliver tray with a domed lid. Ron looked for Kim and did not see her.

"This must be a wedding gift for the two of us." He thought.

The doors closed again and the Man-at-arms stood before the King and next to Ron.

The King waved his hand.

"Let the ceremony begin!"

The members of the court looked around for Kim. Ron stared at the King wondering what was going on.

The Man-at-arms turned to Ron and took the lid off the tray. Ron gagged. The Queen screamed and fainted. A number of the other women screamed at the sight.

On the tray, swathed in white satin, lay Kim's hand. The ring still on her finger, beads of blood rolling down the valleys of the cloth.

King James started to laugh.

"You pathetic little boy, I told you that you could have her hand in marriage. I didn't say that you could have all of her."

Ron continued to stare at the contents of the platter as members of the court continue to scream, some ran from the room. King James stood over him unconscious wife and laughed.

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Four horses strained in their traces as they pulled the Royal Coach toward the land of the King of Upperland. A weeping Kim lay bound on the floor of the coach. Her white wedding gown stained red. Two emotionless guards sat staring down at her.

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Not much I can say. Just let me know what you think. Just leave a review or send me a note. I would appreciate it.

Two things I would appreciate everyone doing.

Evolved had someone hack into his account and delete his stories. He did not have copies of all of them. If you have saved any of his stories, please contact him and see if you can help.

There is a story I would like you to look at. It's called Kim Possible: Yesterday's, Today's and Tommorrow's by JAKT. This is a new author working their way into fan fiction. I have been enjoying it.

This is the Captain  
Right hand salute  
Over and out.


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